This Is 40 (2012)

A look at the lives of Pete and Debbie a few years after the events of Knocked Up.

Director:

Judd Apatow

Writers:

Judd Apatow, Judd Apatow (based on characters created by)

Stars:

Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow

1 win & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Rudd	...	Pete
Leslie Mann	...	Debbie
Maude Apatow	...	Sadie
Iris Apatow	...	Charlotte
Jason Segel	...	Jason
Annie Mumolo	...	Barb
Robert Smigel	...	Barry
Megan Fox	...	Desi
Charlyne Yi	...	Jodi
Hugh Fink	...	Male Boutique Customer
Graham Parker	...	Himself
Tom Freund	...	Graham Parker Solo Band
D.A. Sandoval	...	Older Pregnant Parent
Megan Grano	...	School Playdate Parent
Mackenzie Aladjem	...	School Playmate Child

Storyline

Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are turning 40. But instead of celebrating, they're mired in a mid-life crisis with unruly kids, debt and unhappiness mounding. Pete's record label is failing and Debbie is unable to come to terms with her aging body. As Pete's 40th birthday party arrives, Pete and Debbie are going to have to rely on family, friends, employees, fitness trainers, aging rockers and ultimately each other to come to terms with life at age 40.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to jj abrams | sex | claim in title | family relationships | 40 year old | 

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Taglines:

The Sort-of Sequel to 'Knocked Up'

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, crude humor, pervasive language and some drug material

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

This Is Forty

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$11,579,175 (USA) (21 December 2012)

Gross:

$67,523,385 (USA) (22 February 2013)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Apatow Productions, Forty Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The main characters from "Knocked Up", Ben (Seth Rogen) and Alison (Katherine Heigl), do not appear in this "sort-of sequel", but references to both characters are made: A picture of Alison can be seen on the wall and Pete mentions getting marijuana cookies from Ben. Three other, more minor characters from Knocked Up, do appear in this movie as well: Charlyne Yi's character Jodi (an amiable stoner in Knocked up; now an employee in Debbie's store), Jason Segal's character Jason (one of Ben's best friends with a crush on Debbie in Knocked Up; now Debbie's persona trainer) and Tim Bagley reprises his role as OB/GYN Dr. Pellagrino.

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Goofs

Near the end of the film when Pete and Debbie are in the bar listening to music, Debbie's gold purse moves on the table behind her.

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Quotes

Pete: We had sex the other night. You should give me some credit for that.
Debbie: It's not about credit.

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Crazy Credits

After the main credits roll, there's an extended alternate take of Catherine ad-libbing insults during the conversation with the Julie, Pete, and Debbie.

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Connections

Featured in The Big Review: Fall Trailer Park (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Roman's Revenge"
Written by John Davis, Swizz Beatz (as Kasseem Dean), Bryan Higgins, James Jackson, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Nicki Minaj (as Onika Maraj), Eminem (as Marshall Mathers), Busta Rhymes (as Trevor Smith), Phife Dawg (as Malik Taylor)
Performed by Nicki Minaj ft. Eminem
Courtesy of Cash Money Records/Universal Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Eminem appears courtesy of Interscope Records

User Reviews

This Is Terrible

I believe I have seen all of Judd Apatow's films and I've liked a majority of them but This Is 40 is not only his worst film, it's one of the worst films I've seen this year if not ever. The film honestly felt like the script was never completed, an editor was never hired and the actors had no direction. It had none of the joy of his other films and not even the natural likability of the stars (Rudd, Mann, Segel) could save it. It felt dour and depressing all while under the naturally (or unnaturally) pleasant skies of Santa Monica.

The main couple's (Rudd and Mann) lives are coming apart because they feel they need to change but find it difficult to change. In the end, however, they come to the realization that they don't need to change...this is the worst character arc imaginable...characters who go nowhere and are somehow happy about it by the end. But then again, these characters start from a place of wealth and privilege (not that you can't have wealthy, relatable characters) so you already begin the story by thinking these characters really don't have that much to complain about (or enough to really care). They both have luxury cars, they have a family, a beautiful house...that's not exactly a starting point for an audience to feel for a set of main characters. Literally all the normally excellent actors seemed to have awful performances that felt jilted, tired and unfit (I mean try and find John Lithgow giving a bad performance ever), this was not a good turn for Megan Fox in comedy at all, go down the list...even Jason Segel who rocks almost everything he's in felt misused. The worst part of it all was it was not funny. There were a smattering of laughs for the whole film in the theater I was in.

This film was a total and utter train wreck...and I almost feel bad for Apatow except for I spent my money on this film and now I feel bad for myself. I was very close to walking out a few times and I never walk out of films. The two and a half hour run time felt way excessive and basically like a first time director who didn't know how or where to cut. And the beats didn't work (the COMEDY BEATS, that should be Apatow's strong suit).

I had to go out and watch something else the next day just to help erase the memory of this film because it was that awful. Not campy awful, not funny awful, just plain 'ol awful. I really wish someone had stopped this film at some level and tried to help them fix it because the themes are good, the actors are normally good...all the parts could all be good...but somehow this was just the opposite...just bad, really, really, bad. And as a writer/director you have to put the blame on Apatow for this one.